DA Vance Announces Guilty Plea of Francis Salud for Two Slashings

June 13, 2017

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today announced the guilty plea of FRANCIS SALUD, 29, for two unrelated slashings in October 2015 and January 2016. The defendant pleaded guilty in New York State Supreme Court to the top count of each indictment against him: Assault in the First Degree and Assault in the Second Degree. He is expected to be sentenced on July 11, 2017.

“The injuries caused by Francis Salud’s brutal slashings required dozens of stitches and hours of surgery to heal,” said District Attorney Vance. “In one completely unprovoked attack, a man suffered serious nerve damage to his face, for which he receives ongoing physical therapy. This defendant poses a danger to acquaintances and strangers alike, and now faces significant prison time for his actions.”

As admitted in the defendant’s guilty plea and according to documents filed in court, on October 18, 2015, SALUD argued with an acquaintance outside of Bellevue Hospital on East 23rd Street, before using a knife to slash the 30-year-old victim across his left arm and shoulder. The victim’s lacerations required more than 70 stitches.

In a second incident on January 16, 2016, SALUD approached a stranger walking on East 6th Street between 3rd and 2nd Avenues. Unprovoked, SALUD slashed the 30-year-old across his back and his face, causing extensive nerve damage.

Assistant District Attorney Shilpa Kalra handled the prosecution of the October 2015 case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Consuelo Fernandez and Eugene Porcaro, Senior Supervising Attorney. Assistant District Attorney Leila Kermani handled the prosecution of the January 2016 case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Robert Ferrari, Chief of Trial Bureau 40, and with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney Shannon Lucey. Both cases were supervised by Executive Assistant District Attorney John Irwin, Chief of the Trial Division.

District Attorney Vance thanked the NYPD for its assistance with the investigation, particularly the 9th and 13th Precinct Detective Squads.